Seoul - The War Memorial


One of the great spots in Seoul to learn a lot about Korean history is the War Memorial (전쟁기념관). The building was opened to the public in 1994 and includes a large outdoor exhibition area which is home to many statues and monuments. Pictured above is the Memorial Hall building. To the right of the building, you can see Namsan mountain and N Seoul Tower.


The tall statue directly in front of the courtyard is the Korean War Monument. On either side there are statues of soldiers. Beyond these statues are placques to commemorate all of the 21 countries that assisted South Korea during the war.


Next to the car entrance to the memorial is the Statue of Brothers (pictured above). It depicts two brothers (from opposing sides) meeting on the battlefield. On the left, the older brother is a South Korean soldier. On the right, the younger brother is fighting for North Korea. The two are meeting over the crack that has torn the country apart and embracing to express "reconciliation, love, and forgiveness" in the hope of reunification.


Around the rest of the exterior exhibition space, visitors can see preserved planes, guns, trucks, and boats from the Korean war. Many you are even able to go inside of and/or touch.


Inside the Memorial Hall several other, smaller relics from the war are displayed. There are also several exhibition halls that show pictures of, and explain (in great detail) the step by step occurances of the war: how is started, how it progressed and where it is at today.

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